James Read Hughes
(Second son of Rev. Frank Hughes, Jr.)
(He was named after Jesus' disciple James, and after his grandfather, Rev. J. Leighton Read).
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June 3, 2019 marks the
45th Anniversary of the death of
Jim Hughes, killed in the
line of duty.
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Joe, Jim and their Dad, Rev. Frank Hughes, Jr., on top of Little
Stony Man Mountain, Virginia.
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Jim, his mother, and brother Joe,
look out at
the Grand Canyon.
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In memory of Jim's heritage,
this broadcast features a congregation in Wales singing "Guide Me, Oh Thou
Great Jehovah" sung to the hymn tune, "Cwm Rhondda" written by
John Hughes. The last verse is repeated
in the Welsh language. Video courtesy of the BBC:
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Jim
recorded three evening devotions for use at Bluefield College. Joe
provided the music on the Henry Pilcher's Sons Pipe Organ.
Recorded at
South Norfolk Baptist Church.
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Joseph Hughes with portrait of his brother Jim at the Virginia State Police 2014 Police Officers'
Memorial Service.
The portrait was painted by
Donald Edward Poore.
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Joseph Hughes with Colonel W.S. Flaherty,
Superintendent of Virginia State Police
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Joseph Hughes with the Governor of Virginia,
the Honorable Terry McAuliffe,
Special Guest Speaker at the
Memorial Service
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Joe with Trooper Rolando Curiel, Area 9
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Honor Guard at Jim's portrait
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Honor Guard at Jim's portrait
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Jim's basic class: he is third from right, top row
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Joe at first unveiling of Jim's portrait.
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Some who attended the unveiling of Jim's portrait: in first row, L to R: Louise Curling, Mrs. Rosa Curling, Mr. John Curling, Rev. Hughes; Back row: R to L: Joe, Eddie Briggs, Jr., Cathy Briggs, Ray Curling, Mrs. Hughes, Trooper Donald Poore and one Trooper not identified; also lady to left of Rev. Hughes has not been identified.
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Jim holds his Mother's arm after the Virginia State Police Basic School graduation ceremony.
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Virginia State Police Memorial Service, May 9, 2019:
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Video portion of the Memorial Service that mentioned and honored Jim:
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Trooper Grover Dean, one of Jim's best friends.
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Jim was nominated by Harvey Brown (former Minister of Education, South Norfolk Baptist Church) to become a member of the National Geographic Society:
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As a Ham Radio operator, Jim joined the National Association of Armchair Adventurers:
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Rev. Frank Hughes, Jr. performed marriage ceremony of Rev. Sam Tatem and Sarah Margaret Rogers, at South Norfolk Baptist Church. Jim, as ring bearer, on front row right. Joe holds his father's hand, on left.
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Jim, on left, was ring bearer at
Rev. and Mrs. Sam Tatem's wedding. (Joe can be seen on right side, peeking around from the door.)
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Jim (in some pictures with Joe) in front yard, back yard. First one is Jim in front yard with Chesapeake Ave. Methodist Church in background:
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Jim riding a "stick horse":
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Joe rides the bike with "training wheels" and Jim is on his first "real" bike, a Huffy:
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Jim has come over to back porch to see Mother holding Joe:
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Jim at his grandparents (Read) house in Oklahoma:
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Dad, Joe, and Jim at Norfolk Zoo playground:
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Rev. Hughes holding Jimmy
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Jim and Joe at Kitty Hawk, N.C.:
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L to R: Uncle Irving Hughes, Joe, Charlie holding snake, Mr. Hill in jeep, Everett, Jim:
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Joe holds the ladder for Jim:
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Jim helps Joe properly aim his BB gun out "in the country":
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I love Jim's expression as he gets me to look thru the sight correctly:
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Jim (center) with Joe (on right) splashing around with their cousins in Currituck Sound:
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Jim wadding in Currituck Sound:
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Jim at Church Valentine Banquet with closeup:
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Not a good picture (probably old film):
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Jim at entrance sign to the Richmond Battlefield Park, Virginia.
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Jim, on extreme right, Joe, standing behind Connie with rabbit, on Easter Sunday at Grandparents.
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Jim and Joe dressed up for "Trick or Treat"
Jim on the right as "Captain Hook"
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Jim and Joe at home in Jim's room; play time before bedtime:
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Easter Sunday: L to R: Pa Hughes, Sue, Mamma Hughes, Mrs. Frank Hughes, Joe, Jim
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Dillon Family, including Rev. and Mrs. J. Leighton Read; Mrs. Frank Hughes sits in front of Joe and Jim in yellow t-shirts:
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L to R: Connie, Rev. Melvin Hughes, Mel, Mrs. Thelma Hughes, Mrs. Frank Hughes, Joe, (unidentified lady), Jim.
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Joe, Jim (with Bible in hand) and Mrs. Frank Hughes, stand on right side, in picture taken at Glorieta Baptist Assembly, New Mexico.
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Jim with his Father (left) and Grandfather Hughes
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Jim with his grandparents,
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hughes, Sr.
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Christmas 1964: L to R: Mel, Joe, Charlie, Everett, Jim.
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Jim on front porch of our house, December 25, 1965
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Christmas at Grandparents house. L to R: Jim, Sue, Joe, Pa and Mamma Hughes, Mrs. Frank Hughes:
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Jim loved Classical Music. For Christmas he got an album of harpsichord music featuring Sylvia Marlowe. I took this in the backyard, and we called it "Sylvia Marlowe and Me":
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Jim built this (Span Master shortwave radio by Knight Kit) and other electronic radio kits, including his own transmitter/receiver and other FM radios:
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Jim also introduced our family to classical music, including the Saturday afternoon live broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera.
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In 1989, its 50th year of broadcasting, the
Texaco-Metropolitan Opera radio series received another Peabody Award. The
committee noted that "the Met Opera has been continually innovative in its
presentation. Sound quality is excellent, performances are first-rate, and the
entertaining intermissions have become outstanding programs in their own
right." Texaco sponsored the broadcasts for 63 years. The Saturday matinee is still on the air, in FM stereo.
We got to know the voice of NBC announcer Milton Cross who served for 43 seasons, from the inaugural 1931 broadcast until his death in 1975. We were able to learn the plots of many of the operas, with the careful introduction of each act by Cross.
Jim and I always tuned in at 2 pm every Saturday afternoon.
Here is a recording of Milton Cross at the close of one such broadcast, as he describes the numerous curtain calls by the performers:
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Milton Cross, announcer for the Saturday afternoon broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera.
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Jim and Joe with Dad, Christmastime:
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I took this of Jim outside the White House of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia
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The White House of the Confederacy, in 2017:
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During Vacation Bible School Youth Week, the guys were invited to bake, on their own and without any help, a cake to enter in a contest.
Jim baked a 3 layer cake in honor of the United Nations, with the colors of each layer inside, different. Mother didn't help him, but you should have seen the mess on the kitchen table while he was making it! Ha!
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Jim with some sweet potatoes he dug in N.C.:
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Jim at VPI:
Bob Dunston and Jim at Jim's car, 1968
Dan Hare, 1968, Barringer Hall
Johnson and Newman dorms 1968
War Memorial, Library (Newman) 1968
Shaving Cream Fight, 1968 Barringer Hall: Buddy Parcell, Jim, Dan Hare
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Jim and Joe studied piano under the late A. Guy Hall, Jr. of South Norfolk. He had a Gulbransen baby grand in his studio. Jim and Joe practiced at home on their Mother's Haddorff upright piano, which had been a birthday gift to her from Rev. Hughes. She also played the piano; Rev. Hughes could play the violin. Jim went on to learn the Trombone, and Joe, the Pipe Organ.
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An early picture of Mr. A. Guy Hall, Jr.
in 1942, while teaching music and orchestra at the South Norfolk High School, South Norfolk, Virginia. He held a B.A. degree from William and Mary, and an M.A. degree in Music from Columbia University, New York.
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Mr. Hall later opened a florist shop, "Flowers by Hall," in the downtown section of South Norfolk around the corner from Overton's Supermarket, while he continued to teach private music lessons every afternoon after school was out. I usually went on a Thursday afternoon, and followed a student studying clarinet. Jim's interest in piano was in Bach's "Two-Part Inventions"; mine was in Mozart Sonata's. Occasionally other South Norfolk students would be there when I arrived. On one occasion, Derris Raper was learning Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" and Mr. Hall had a reel-to-reel Webcor tape recorder set up and would rcord his performance, then play it back and they would both critique it.
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South Norfolk High School on the front title page of "The Tiger" Yearbook for 1942. The building was later used as the Truitt Junior High School, when Jim and Joe attended. At that time, Rena B. Wright, with 3 buildings in another section of South Norfolk, served as the Elementary School.
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As mentioned above, Jim became interested in Bach's "Two-part Inventions." Here is an example of what one sounds like:
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Jim's interest in the piano works of Bach led him to appreciate those pieces played on a harpsichord, as illustrated here:
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After watching a Saturday television program "The Young People's Concert" series with Leonard Bernstein on "What is Sonata Form?" I told Mr. Hall about this and he procured a copy of some sonata piano music to learn. For my senior and last year studying with him, I learned "Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 16".
Here is a young student, Roy Wulf, playing this from memory. Also, below is a copy of the music from public domain.
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On a High School Band trip to Charlottesville, Virginia. Jim is on the right.
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South Norfolk Jr. High School Band plays at the Oyster Bowl Parade, Norfolk, Virginia. Jim is playing the trombone, second from left.
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South Norfolk Jr. High School Band on their way to play at May Day celebration: Jim is 4th from left with trombone.
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South Norfolk Jr. High School Band playing at the Rena B. Wright Elementary School May Day celebration. Jim is on back row, 5th from the Left, playing Trombone.
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South Norfolk Jr. High School Band played for Governor Almond, who spoke at the Dedication of the South Norfolk Memorial Library. Jim is in the trombone section, second from the end.
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Jim in early photo with band. Playing trombone, far end.
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Oscar F. Smith High School Band marches down Chesapeake Ave, South Norfolk for Fire Prevention Parade.
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Jim with his first car:
a 4-door Ford with straight shift.
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Jim and Joe both joined the local South Norfolk Boy Scout Troop.
It met every Thursday evening, in the basement of the South Norfolk Christian Church.
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Mr. and Mrs. C.G. Harrell.
He was our Scoutmaster.
They both served the Lord in a variety of positions at the South Norfolk Baptist Church. He always took his Bible for study while on camping trips with the Scouts.
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SOUTH NORFOLK CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Blue Arrow points to outside door which led to the basement where our Scout Troop met:
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Jim and Joe both went camping at the local Boy Scout Camp Baker. Mr. Gayle Harrell, member of South Norfolk Baptist, was the Scoutmaster.
(Pictured: the 1959 Boy Scout Handbook Jim and I used.)
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Camp Baker is
375 acres of heavily wooded land leased from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Located on the northeast side of the juncture of the Albemarle Chesapeake Canal
and Centerville Turnpike, in Chesapeake, Virginia, Camp Baker is open
for short-term camping. Many scouting activities such
as camping, hiking, pioneering, wilderness survival, nature,
and bird study can be conducted here.
Thanks to the
Associated General Contractors, the camp includes an activity shelter
and latrines. Campers will need to supply their own water. It’s a
great place to bring your troop and get “back to the basics.”
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Jim earned more Merit Badges than his brother, and moved up quickly thru "Second Class" to "First Class." Scouting taught us both lasting values, which were character-building. These were reinforced by dedicated Christian school teachers, in addition to the primary training we received at home and in the church. Jim and Joe developed lasting friendships with other boys from South Norfolk in our Scout Troop. We learned valuable lessons of team work, camp craft, and other Merit Badge-based skills required for each one. It was my priviledge as a former Scout and then later, as pastor of a church, to mentor another Scout and see him achieve the God and Country Award. I was pleased to see that F.U.M.A. also had a Scout Troop when I taught there.
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Why "The Scout Oath" was important to Jim and Joe:
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Scouting celebrates it's 100th Anniversary:
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Eagle Scout tells from personal experience why Scouting is important:
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In addition to local camping trips, some Scouts are able to attend an overseas Jamboree:
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FILMS ABOUT THE BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT
AND IT'S FOUNDER, SIR ROBERT BADEN-POWELL:
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THE HISTORY OF BOY SCOUTS
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Jim and Joe read the Scout magazine, Boys' Life. Here are some examples of covers through past years:
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DAD PHOTOGRAPHED JIM AND JOE WHEN WE CROSSED DIFFERENT STATE LINES:
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Jim and Joe visited two Baptist Schools in Virginia:
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Jim, Mother, and Joe on steps of Capitol building, Baton Rouge, LA:
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Jim, in next two pictures, at a National Park:
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Snow weather in South Norfolk:
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Digging a post hole is hard work
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Jim, Mother, and Joe at the Grand Canyon:
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Jim stands beside car on trip through Glacier National Park:
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Jim greeting Mr. and Mrs. John Curling
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Washing and waxing Dad's car (1957 Buick):
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Joe and Jim on a visit to Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, TN. This was one of the colleges he visited, including Clemson in South Carolina, before deciding to attend Virginia Tech. This is outside the dining hall at Carson-Newman:
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Jim and Joe dressed for Church:
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Mother, Joe, cousin Sue, and Jim:
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Joe reading the Funny Paper (which we were only allowed to do after Church) while Jim and Mother look on:
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At grandparents house, Joe runs across front lawn with camera to take a picture, while Jim stands by tree waiting:
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Jim learned to swim early
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Jim is the one with the binoculars:
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L to R: Uncle Melvin Hughes, Jim, Joe, with cousins Mel and Connie
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Joe and Jim playing in the sand at Kitty Hawk:
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L to R: Jim Maddry, Joe and Jim visiting at the Maddry farm, North Carolina
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Joe looks at Jim Maddry's "dummy" (he was an excellent ventriloquist) while Jim examines his BB gun.
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Jim with his first car; had straight shift and he installed an FM stereo radio. I took this on back parking lot of the church with Norfolk and Western Railroad in background.
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In backyard, as High School Senior:
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Dad took this of Jim at Disneyland:
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I took this from an upstairs window: Jim and the Volvo he bought after he was first stationed in Alexandria, Virginia with State Police:
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Hughes first cousins: L to R back row: Jim, Joe, Sue, Everett. L to R front row: Connie, Mel, Charlie.
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While in New Orleans, we visited with the D'Antoni family, who invited us to ride on the paddle wheel steamer, The President:
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Jim and Joe along the Blue Ridge Parkway:
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Next 11 Pictures: Along Skyline Drive and
Little Stony Man Nature Trail:
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Next two pictures taken on Little Stony Man Nature Trail, at the "Moose" stop. Tree fashioned by natural elements looked like a Moose. Aprox. 3 years ago, an ice storm knocked off the Moose "head" leaving only the tree.
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"Evening Devotions for Bluefield College"
Recorded live in the auditorium of
South Norfolk Baptist Church.
Jim was narrator.
Joe, played the Henry Pilcher's Sons Pipe Organ.
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Jim and Joe both worked on the Oscar F. Smith High School radio station,
WFOS-FM, which was the first high school station in Virginia and the fifth in the nation.
Here Jim announces classical music for the "Festival of Bach" special program:
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Jim announces a Bach "Brandenburg Concerto," for WFOS-FM:
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Jim and Joe both worked on WFOS-FM. Jim is seen here in a 1963 picture, back row, 4th from left; Joe is on the middle row, right end:
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While in college,
Jim and Joe both worked at WRVC-FM, located in this building, 2712 Colley Ave, Norfolk, VA.
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One of the Signature Themes used at WRVC-FM as background music for Station Identification was an excerpt from Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto; Violinist, Ruggiero Ricci:
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Jim gives an on-air station identification at WRVC-FM:
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Conway Granger, retired Trooper; one of Jim's best friends.
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Joe with retired Trooper Conway Granger, after Jim passed.
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On the Monday morning after Dad and Mother received word of Jim's death, she called Dr. George W. Simpson, our GP who had an office in the next block, to come by and see Dad. He was a great help in consoling Dad. Here is a picture I took of Dr. G.W. Simpson at his house, with Dad and Mom at Christmastime:
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Four other doctors who treated us should also be mentioned: Dr. Norman G. Sedel, DDS, Dr. Frank Mullen, MD, Dr. Milton Salasky,MD, and Dr. Nichols, MD.
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James Read
Hughes funeral service conducted by Dr. William L. Lumpkin (Freemason Street
Baptist Church, Norfolk), Dr. Donald Bowen (Downtown Baptist Church,
Alexandria). Organist: Gwen Whitehurst, Pianist: Betty LeBlanc.
(The Schulmerich chimes can be
heard playing on the tower music system, at the conclusion of the service,
during the postlude as the clergy, pallbearers, and family exit the church).
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Dr. W.L. Lumpkin, pastor of Freemason Street Baptist Church, conducted Jim's funeral.
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Funeral Service, South Norfolk Baptist Church
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Bernie Henderson, Joe and Rev. Hughes at grave after the service.
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"The Messenger" Special Edition on Jim, in PDF format:
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Donald Edward Poore painted a second portrait of Jim and presented it to Rev. and Mrs. Hughes. He is seen in the following pictures, along with Trooper Conway Granger, presenting the painting to Mrs. Hughes and Joe (Rev. Hughes took these photos):
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Some photos made of that painting by Donald Poore in January 2016:
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Irving and Virginia Hughes stopped by with Mamma Hughes to see the portrait:
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This portrait of Jim, was presented to the Virginia State Police, May 9, 2018, by his brother Joe. It was an original oil painting by Trooper Donald Poore.
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Joe at his brother's graveside, photo taken by
Rev. Hughes
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The hymn "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" was sung by the choir and congregation at Jim's funeral service, South Norfolk Baptist Church. It is presented here in tribute to him.
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Memorial Plaque placed in the
South Norfolk Baptist Church:
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Plaque, enhanced for readability:
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More pictures of Jim can be found on the "Hughes Family Story," "Jim and Joe in Elementary, Junior, and High School," and "Jim and Joe in College," webpages of this website. Also, some audio and photos of him on the "Sermons from South Norfolk: Audio" webpage.
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